1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to configuring a screen on which a plurality of services are displayed, and more particularly, to configuring a final output screen including a plurality of screens on which a plurality of services are presented or displayed.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, related art broadcast receiving systems, such as digital television (TVs) or digital set-top boxes, provide only one content element on a single physical display device or simultaneously display a main screen and a sub-screen on a single physical display device. However, even though the related art broadcast receiving systems can simultaneously display both the main screen and the sub-screen on the same display screen, they can only arrange the main screen and the sub-screen in a limited number of manners. Also, there are limited kinds of display devices capable of combining and displaying services from various sources such as a broadcaster, a digital versatile disk (DVD), and an external device connected to an input terminal. While all of a video service, an audio service, and a data service can be displayed on the main screen, a data service cannot be displayed on the sub screen.
FIG. 1 illustrates screen configurations formed by a related art picture-in-picture (PIP) method. The related art PIP method displays a main screen and a sub screen on a physical display screen. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, sub screens 105, 115, 125, 135, 142, 144, 152, and 154 are displayed on physical display screens 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, and 150. Since positions or sizes of the sub screens 105, 115, 125, 135, 142, 144, 152, and 154 are restricted, there is a limitation in flexibly implementing the related art PIP method.
In an interactive TV application program environment, such as Multimedia Home Platform (MHP), Application Configuration Access Protocol (ACAP), and OpenCable Application platform (OCAP), it is assumed that only one screen is output. In the interactive TV application program environment, a Home Audio/Visual Interface (HAVi) User Interface (UI) is adopted. According to the HAVi UI, even though no restriction is imposed on the number of screens displayed on a physical display device, only one screen is generally displayed. Also, application programs share only one screen that is displayed.
Accordingly, the related art application program environment for broadcasting service has a limitation in displaying various kinds of service content on a dynamically configured screen.